UTEP football: New faces on offensive line

The UTEP offensive line largely will be a veteran group in Sep tember when New Mexico arrives at the Sun Bowl.

In some key spots, however, they are starting over this spring.

The anchor of the line, four-year mainstay and three-year starter, center Eloy Atkinson, is gone, as is two-year starter James Nelson at tackle.

Add in the fact that the other returning starter at tackle, Brander Craighead, is missing his second consecutive spring as he rehabs from offseason surgery, and suddenly there are some auditions going on at three important positions.

In the short term using two new tackles is something UTEP has to overcome. In the long term, looking toward the fall, Craighead's absence is a chance for the Miners to take a better look at the competition to replace Nelson.

"I've started working extra-hard for this opportunity, now I have to take advantage," said left tackle Christian Harper, a freshman who was a scout-teamer in the fall.

"Every position is wide open, we're all on the chopping block and we have to get better."

"There's no depth chart, we are all competing," said freshman Blake Bullard, currently working with the second team. "Craighead's been great at helping the younger guys, helping us with reads."

For the other tackle currently working as a starter, Mike Amdall, this is a familiar spot. Both Craighead and Nelson missed last spring so he's in the same place he was a year ago. He used that experience to make significant contributions as a backup last fall.

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"I did it last year, too, in spring ball, running with the ones," Amdall said. "It's the same thing, we're all getting the same reps. I've got my opportunity now, I have to do my best to make it work."

Even without the uncertainty at tackle, this would be a different spring for the offensive line. There has been a coaching change, as Brian Natkin has moved to tight ends and new coach Spencer Leftwich is working with the line.

There is also a new system to learn, though Leftwich is encouraged by how the players are learning it.

"The biggest thing, football is football," Leftwich said. "There are different techniques, but the biggest thing is teaching them the way we call plays, the way we communicate, the offensive language is a little different. So far they are doing a great job, they've shown progress."

Said Amdall: "There are a couple of different calls, the formations are different, there's a difference in one or two plays, but it's mostly the same."

For players like Bullard and Harper, learning a new system is what they spent each week last year doing as scouts running the opponent's offense.

"Reading cards," was how Bullard described the scout team experience.

The battle for Nelson's spot will need a few more weeks before it even begins to take shape, but Leftwich's first impression is positive.

"Obviously Craighead has a lot of experience, he's a two-year starter, but we can look at some different kids," he said. "I'm impressed with Amdall, Harper, (guard Wayne) Frazier."

They'll all get plenty of time to show what they can do, which is the whole point of spring.

Bret Bloomquist may be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; 546-6359. Follow him on Twitter @bretbloomquist

Spring schedule

What: UTEP football's spring workouts.

Where: Glory Road Field.

When: 7:45 a.m.; Monday, Wednesday, Friday, March 25, March 27, March 29, April 1, April 3, April 5, April 8, April 12.